Flying machine



F. PORTER FLYING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19, 1915 2 Sheets-Sheet. 1'

Sheets-Sheet 2 F. RQPORTER FLYING MACHINE Filed Sept. 19. 1916 Jan. 15,1924'."

Paren al-Jan. 15, 1924.

' UNITED STATES A 1,481,024 PATENT OFFICE.

FINLEY R. PORTER, F PORT JEFFERSON, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO KNIGHT AMERI-CAN PATENTS OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

FLYING MACHINE.

Application filed September 19, 1916. Serial No. 121,053.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I,FINLEY R. Ponrnn, acitizen of the United States, and resident of Port Jefferson. in thecounty of Suffolk and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Flying Machines, of which the following is aspecification.

Where propellers for flying machines are attached directly to theirmotor shafts, it

has frequently happened that after a considerable use of the machine,the motor shaft breaks close up to the rear main or outer bearing of themotor, due to the propeller shaft being integral and rigid, with themotor shaft forming as it does an extension ten or twelve inches long,and being subjected to a variety of stresses acting in differentdirections, entirely due to its constructional features. The propelleris compelled to perform the fly wheel-functions for the motor,

with the result that the intermittent action of the inertia forces onthe rear end of the motor must be dissipated through the length of theoverhang or propeller shaft, which is resisted by the fly wheel effectof the proeller at the outer end of the extension which is held integralby some conventional form of antifriction bearing, which ,as a result ofthis onstruction is not subjected toany lateral load. The tremendoustorsional strain, together with the bending movement as a result of thegyroscopic action of the propeller with the main forces at the motorend, and the resistance at the propeller end causes such excess ofvarying stresses that failure is imminent at all times. These rapidlyvarying stresses at certain critical speeds are apt to synchronize withthe natural vibra-' tion frequency of the crank shaft. causing a rapidcrystallization of this portien of the same and a consequent failure atthis point where the full load of the motor is trans mitted to thepropeller. Crystallization of this portion of the crank shaft alsoarises from the rigid mounting of the propeller upon this part,vibration of the propeller blades being imparted to the crank shaft ofthe motor.

The object of the present invention is to overcome these vital defectsby so mounting the propeller on a relatively fixed support and providinga flexible vibration dampening driving connection between the motorshaft and ropeller, and by transmitting the driving e ect of the motorshaft to the propeller, and retaining the torsional fly wheel effect ofthe ropeller as an aid to the proper function of t 1e motor, yetrelieving the pro-- peller haft of the stress reversals due to theintermittent inertia forces of the motor and the gyroscopic results dueto the clipping of the flying machine.

My invention includes novel means for carrying out the above objects.

A practical embodiment of my invention is represented in theaccompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is adetail end view,

Fig. 2 is a detail view in longitudinal central section,

Fig. 3 is a detail view partly in plan and partly in section, showingthe universal joint connection between the motor shaft and propellershaft,

Fig, 4 is a transverse section taken in the plane of the line AA of Fig.3,

' Fig. 5 is a section taken in the plane of the line BB of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a detail view partly in plan and partly in section, showingthe universal joint connection between the propeller shaft andpropeller, t

Fig. 7 is a section taken in the plane of the line CC of Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a section taken in the plane of the line D--D of Fig. 6, and

Fi 9 is a section taken in the plane of the line E--E of Fig. 6.

The motor shaft 1 is rotatably mounted in the bearing bushing 2, carriedby the hollow lug 3 of the crank shaft casing 1.

series of bolts 10. The propeller 11 is rotatably mounted on the hollowrelatively fixed axle 8, antifriction bearings 12 and 13 be ingpreferably interposed between the axle 8 and the hub 14 of thepropeller. An antifriction thrust bearing 15 1s preferably interposedbetween the flange 9 of the hollow axle and the flange 16 of the hub1 1. A tubular extension 17 of the hub 14 serves to house theantifriction thrust bearing 15. The hub 14 is provided with an outwardlyextended annular flange 18 for engaging the inner face of the propeller11. A ring 19 engages the outer face of the propeller and has aninterlocked engagement, as shown at 20, with the outer end of the hub14. An annular series of bolts 21 passes through. the flange 18, ring 19and the propeller 11. for rigidly assembling the parts.

The hollow propelleinshaft 22 inherently possessing by reason of itsstructure a certain amount of resiliency, forms a flexible drivingconnection between the motor shaft, 1 and the propeller 11. in thepresent instance a double universal driving connection, as follows: Theouter end of the shaft 1 is provided with an annular series ofprojections 23, in the present instance four, and the inner end of thehollow propeller shaft 22 is provided with an annular series ofradiating arms 24, in the present instance four, provided with blocks 25interposed between the projections 23 of the motor shaft. These blocks25 are swiveled on the arms 24, and have parallel faces which slidablyengage the parallel faces of the projections 23, thus forming a.universal joint driving connection between the motor shaft and propellershaft at this point. The propeller shaft 22 projects through the hollowrelatively fixed axle 8, and it is provided at its outer end with anannular series of radial arms 26, in the present instance four. havingblocks 27 interposed-between an annular series of projections 28, in thepresent instance four, on the ring 19. These blocks 27 are 'swive'led onthe arms 26. and have parallel faces having a sliding engagement withthe parallel faces 28, thus forming an outboard universal jointconnection at this pointbetween the propeller shaft and propeller. Thesearms 26 are herein shown as projecting outwardly from the hub 29, havinga tapered bore fitted to the tapered end of the propeller shaft 22. Anut 30 engaging the screw-threaded end of the propeller shaft serves tolock the arms 26 to the propeller shaft. By this construction thepropeller shaft floats between the propeller and engine shaft, beingrelieved not only of the weight of the propeller. but being free toaccommodate itself bodily to any stress due to gyroscopic action of thepropeller of excessive vibration of the same.

A protective collar 31 is screwed onto the end of the motor shaft 1. andserves to retain the blocks 25 on their arms 21. A cap 32 has ascrew-threaded engagement with the ring 19 and serves both to prevent.the blocks 27 from coming oil from the arms 26, and to prevent thepropeller shaft from slipping out of its driving engagement. It alsoserves as a housing for the universal joint connection between the Outerend of the propeller shaft and the propeller.

From the above description it will be seen that a flexible drivingconnection is provided between the propeller andmotor shaft. The use ofthe short piece of hollow shafting 22 not only provides a resilient orflexible connection between the propeller and motor crank shaft, butalso acts as a means to prevent the propeller vibrations from beingimparted to the crank shaft of the motor as well as providing meanswhereby the propeller and associated parts may be quickly and easilyassembled or removed. It will also be seen that by causing the ring 19to be rigidly locked to the hub 14 and also to the flange 18 of the hub.the driving of feet is transmitted to the propeller at differentdistances from its axis of rotation, and to both the front and rearfaces of the hub, thus reducing materially the torsional effect thereon.

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in theconstruction, form and arrangement of the several parts without.departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do notwish to limit myself strictly to the structure herein shown anddescribed, butv IVhat I claim is:

1. In a flying machine, a motor shaft, a hollow axle, a propellerjournaled on said hollow axle, a driven shaftwithin said hollow axle andconnected to said propeller, and a flexible connection between saidmotor and driven shafts.

2. In a flying machine, a fixed axle, a propeller mounted thereon, amotor shaft, a fixed support for the axle and shaft, and a propellershaft having a flexible driving connection with the motor shaft andpropeller.

3. In a flying machine, a fixed axle, a propeller rotatably mountedthereon, a motor shaft, and a propeller-shaft having fiexible drivingconnections with both the motor shaft and propeller.

4. In a flying machine, a hollow axle, a propeller rotatably mountedthereon, a motor shaft, and a propeller shaftextending through thehollow axle and having a flexible driving connection with the outer endof the motor shaft and a flexible driving connection with the outer sideof the propeller.

5. In a flying machine. a hollow axle, a propeller rotatably mountedthereon, a motor shaft. and a propeller shaft extending through thehollow axle and having a flexible driving connection with the outer endof the motor shaft and a flexible driving connection with the outer sideof the pro pellcr and an antifriction thrust bearing for the propeller.

6. In a flying machine, a fixed axle, a pro peller having its hubrotatably mounted thereon, said hub having a flange on one side of thepropeller, a ring on the other side interlocked with the hub, and boltspassing through the propeller, a flange and ring for rigidly assemblingthem, and a casing, an extension secured thereto, a hollow axle fixedlysecured to the extension, 2.

wit said ring.

7. In a flying machine, a motor shaft, its

propeller rotatably mounted on the axle, and .a propeller shaft formingthe driving connection between the motor shaft and propeller. saidropeller shaft being located within said hol ow axle.

8. In a flying machine, a motor shaft, a. hollow axle, said shaft andaxle being fixedly supported with respect to each other, a propeller,antifriction radial and thrust bearings on the axle for the propellerand a propeller shaft therefor, and a flexible drizvmg connectionbetween .said propeller andshaft arranged out board of the propeller.

11. In a flying machine, a propeller, a

floating propeller shaft in axial alinement with said propeller anddriving connections therebetween.

12.111 a flying machine, a propeller, a propeller shaft therefor, and auniversal driving connection arranged therebetween out board ofthe-propeller.

13. In a flying machine, the combination with a fixed hollow axle, of apropeller r0 tatably mounted thereon, bearing surfaces for saidpropeller located exterior of and symmetrical to the plane of rotationof the propeller, and means for transmitting driving torque to bothsides of the propeller.

14. In a flying machine, a frame, a motor shaft supported with respectto the frame, a hollow axle-fixedly supported with respect to the frame,a propeller rotatably mounted thereon, and a propeller shaft extendingthrough the hollow axle and flexibly connecting the motorshaft and thepropeller.

15. In a flying machine, a frame, a motor shaft fi-xedly supported withrespect to the frame, an axle supported with respect to the frame, apropeller rotatably mounted on the axle, and a hollow propeller shaftfixedly connecting the motor shaft and the propeller.

16. In a flying machine, a propeller, a

propeller shaft having a driving connection v 17. In a flying machine, apropeller, a floating propeller shaft therefor, and flexible drivingconnections therebetween arranged out board ofthe propeller.

18. Ina flying machine, a propeller, a propeller shaft therefor, and auniversal driving connection arranged therebetween out board of thepropeller.

19. In a flying machine, an engine shaft, a propeller and a propellershaft, driving connections between the propeller and propeller shaft andengine shaft and propeller shaft, said ropeller being mounted intermediate sai driving connections.

20. In a flying machine, a propeller shaft, a propeller mounted torotate intermediate the ends of said shaft, and a driving connectionbetween said propeller and one end of the propeller shaft.

21. In a flying machine, a fixed axle, a propeller rotatably mounted onsaid axle, a. propeller shaft.passing through said axle, and a drivingconnection between said pro .peller and axle arranged out board of saidpropeller.

In a flying machine, a fixed axle, a propeller rotatablymounted on saidaxle, a propeller shaffipassing through said axle, and a flexibleconnection between said propeller and axle arranged'out board of saidpropeller.

23. In-a flying machine, a fixed axle, a pro'peller rotatably mounted onsaid axle, a. propeller shaft passing through said axle, and a universaldrive connection between said propeller and axle arranged out board ofsaid propeller.

24. In a flying machine, afixed axle, a propeller rotatably mounted onthe axle, adriving shaft,a propeller shaft extending through said axle.and connected at its ends with said drive shaft and propellerrespectively. v

25. In a flying machine, a fixed axle, a propeller rotatably mounted onthe axle, a drive shaft, a propeller shaft extending through said axleand flexibly connected at its ends with said drive shaft and propellerrespectively.

26. In a flying machine, a fixed axle, a propeller rotatably mounted onthe axle, a drive shaft, a propeller shaft extending through said axleand universally connected at its ends with said drive shaft andpropeller respectively.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my invent1on,-I have signedmy name this 13th day of September, 1916.

FINLEY R. PORTER.

